Bill C-51: Support For Anti-Terror Legislation Still Dropping, Poll Suggests

Public support for Bill C-51 continues to slide as Canadians learn more about the Conservative government’s controversial anti-terror legislation, a new poll suggests.

According to numbers from Forum Research, released Thursday, 56 per cent of those aware of Bill C-51 disapprove of the legislation, while 33 per cent support it.

A Forum poll released just weeks ago showed 50 per cent of those aware of the bill disapproved, with 38 per cent in favour.

The latest numbers suggest opposition to the bill sits at 75 per cent among young Canadians between the ages of 18 and 34.

The poll also appears to point to some bad news for federal Liberals. The Grits support the legislation but aim to amend the bill if they win the next federal election to provide stronger oversight of national security agencies, among other things. Seventy-seven per cent of Liberal supporters told the firm they oppose the bill, compared to just 17 per cent in favour.

Among past Conservative voters, 72 per cent said they approve of the bill, with 13 per cent opposed. However, that’s still a nine-point drop from a Forum poll released on St. Patrick’s Day.

NDP supporters are overwhelmingly in line with the party, which has voted against the bill and sharply criticized the Grits for backing the Tory plan. Seventy-five per cent of NDP voters oppose the bill, while 16 per cent approve.

When it comes to the Greens, who have also derided the legislation, 74 per cent are opposed, and 16 per cent are in favour.

Forty-two per cent of those aware of the bill told Forum they believe it will negatively impact their lives.

“It appears that the more Canadians learn about Bill C-51, the less they like it,” Forum Research president Lorne Bozinoff said in the poll summary. “The need for the bill is seen to be diminishing, and voters recognize some provisions may impact their lives in ways they don’t like.

“With an election approaching, the government would be well-advised to determine whether this bill is the hill they want to stake themselves out on.”

The telephone poll surveyed 1,239 Canadians between March 30 and 31. It has a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

The Forum numbers represent a dramatic change from an Angus Reid Institute poll released in February that showed 82 per cent of Canadians supported the legislation.

Since then, Canada’s privacy commissioner, the Canadian Bar Association, First Nations groups, Amnesty International, and a variety of experts have expressed deep reservations about the bill. Thousands of Canadians have also taken to the streets in protest.

The legislation would give the Canadian Security Intelligence Service new powers to thwart terror plots and increase the exchange of federal security information. It would also expand no-fly list powers and make it a criminal offence to encourage someone to carry out a terrorist attack.

Here are 5 things you need to know about Bill C-51, the Harper government's controversial anti-terror law.
(Information courtesy of The Canadian Press)

The Canadian Security Intelligence Service gets new powers to actively disrupt terrorism plots, instead of just collecting information about them. CSIS needs "reasonable grounds to believe'' there was a security threat before taking measures to disrupt it and needs a court warrant whenever proposed disruption measures violate the Charter of Rights or otherwise breach Canadian law.

The spy agency is allowed to wage cyberwar, by disrupting radical websites and Twitter accounts aimed at impressionable young Canadians. The RCMP is allowed to seek a judge's order to remove terrorist propaganda from the Internet.

The new law makes it easier for the RCMP to obtain a peace bond, a legal tool that could order suspects to surrender passports or report to police regularly. In the past, the Mounties had to hold a reasonable belief that someone "will commit" a terrorism offence before they could get such a bond. Now, the threshold is a fear that someone "may commit'' an offence.

The legislation expands the no-fly regime to cover those who seek to travel by air to take part in terrorist activities, allowing authorities to keep would-be extremists off planes. Under current law, that can only be done to counter an immediate risk to the aircraft.

The legislation makes it a criminal offence to encourage someone to carry out a terrorism attack. It also allows police to arrest someone without a warrant and hold them for up to seven days before a hearing. That's up from the three-day maximum under current law.

Police secure an area around Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Oct. 22, 2014.

A soldier standing guard at the National War Memorial was shot by an unknown gunman and people reported hearing gunfire inside the halls of Parliament.

Paramedics and police pull a shooting victim away from the Canadian War Memorial in Ottawa on Wednesday Oct.22, 2014. A Canadian soldier standing guard at the National War Memorial in Ottawa has been shot by an unknown gunman and there are reports of gunfire inside the halls of Parliament.

An RCMP intervention team runs next to a Parliament building in Ottawa Wednesday Oct.22, 2014. A Canadian soldier standing guard at the National War Memorial in Ottawa has been shot by an unknown gunman and there are reports of gunfire inside the halls of Parliament.

RCMP intervention team members walk past a gate on Parliament hill in Ottawa.

A soldier, police and paramedics tend to a soldier shot at the National Memorial near Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday Oct.22, 2014.

Police secure an area around Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday Oct.22, 2014. A gunman opened fire at the National War Memorial, wounding a soldier, then moved to nearby Parliament Hill and wounded a security guard before he was shot, reportedly by Parliament's sergeant-at-arms.

Police secure an area around Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday Oct.22, 2014. A gunman opened fire at the National War Memorial, wounding a soldier, then moved to nearby Parliament Hill and wounded a security guard before he was shot, reportedly by Parliament's sergeant-at-arms.

Police and paramedics tend to a soldier shot at the National Memorial near Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday Oct.22, 2014. Police are expanding a perimeter around Parliament Hill after a gunman opened fire at the National War Memorial, wounding a soldier, then moved to nearby Parliament Hill where he was reportedly shot by Parliament's sergeant-at-arms after wounding a security guard.

Civilians leave a secured area around Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday Oct.22, 2014. Police are expanding a perimeter around Parliament Hill after a gunman opened fire at the National War Memorial, wounding a soldier, then moved to nearby Parliament Hill where he was reportedly shot by Parliament's sergeant-at-arms after wounding a security guard.The Hill remains under lockdown amid reports there may be two to three shooters, according to a senior official locked in the Official Opposition Leaders' office.

Police teams move towards Centre Block at Parliament Hill in Ottawa on on Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014. A gunman opened fire at the National War Memorial, wounding a soldier, then moved to nearby Parliament Hill and wounded a security guard before he was shot, reportedly by Parliament's sergeant-at-arms.

An Ottawa police office draws her weapon in Ottawa on Wednesday Oct.22, 2014. Police are expanding a security perimeter in the heart of the national capital after a gunman opened fire and wounded a soldier at the National War Memorial before injuring a security guard on Parliament Hill, where he was reportedly shot dead by Parliament's sergeant-at-arms.

An Ottawa police officer runs with his weapon drawn in Ottawa on Wednesday Oct.22, 2014.Police are expanding a security perimeter in the heart of the national capital after a gunman opened fire and wounded a soldier at the National War Memorial before injuring a security guard on Parliament Hill, where he was reportedly shot dead by Parliament's sergeant-at-arms.

People under lockdown look out of an office building near Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014. A gunman opened fire at the National War Memorial, wounding a soldier, then moved to nearby Parliament Hill and wounded a security guard before he was shot, reportedly by Parliament's sergeant-at-arms.

Police search cars and pedestrians as they leave the Alexandra Bridge and enter Gatineau, Que. near the Parliament Buildings during an active shooter situation in Ottawa on Wednesday, October 22, 2014.

Police officers take cover in Ottawa on Wednesday Oct.22, 2014.Police are expanding a security perimeter in the heart of the national capital after a gunman opened fire and wounded a soldier at the National War Memorial before injuring a security guard on Parliament Hill, where he was reportedly shot dead by Parliament's sergeant-at-arms.

Traiffic is stopped below Parliament Hill during a lock down in the downtown core of Ottawa after a member of the Canadian Armed Forces was shot in Ottawa, Wednesday October 22, 2014.